GP- weight - shame :(

I took my Corvette in to the mechanic and he told me I shouldn't drive it on dirt trails through the mountains anymore. He actually thinks I should take care of it and treat it right. The nerve of him, I guess I need a new mechanic.

Bedside manner aside, your doctor is probably tired of seeing patient after patient destroy themselves and then come in with physical complaints. "Eat less & move more" is the best medical advice I have heard in years. Stop being so sensitive. The judgement and ridicule is in your head. The guilt and embarrassment comes from knowing you need to change. If you are eating healthy and exercising and still having medical issues, go to your doctor with documentation. Show him your eating plan, exercise routine and anything else you can. Doctors see fat people all day everyday and I bet every overweight person says the same thing. "I don't eat that much, I don't know why I'm not losing weight". Forgive the medical practitioners if they have trouble still believing it.

ying to help you.

Sorry for being so harsh, but deal with the real issues.

Arnold

If I may jump into the discussion from the viewpoint of a medical doctor this is right on target. I practiced primary care internal medicine for 30 years, retired last summer. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't bring up the issue. I commend your current doc for bringing it up, asking how you felt about it and making a plan of action, checking for medical issues. Most primary care docs have so much to deal with and weight issues are so complex that it is difficult to deal with it at all in a limited time visit and still deal with the issue that brought you to the doctor. That is why referrals to groups, dieticians etc are often recommended. Many docs don't have specific training in nutritional issues. I personally have always had an interest in this so tend to have more knowledge than most in that regard. We (the docs) are not trying to embarass you, we are trying to help and the weight issues may well relate to your reason for seeing the doc even if it doesn't seem that way. For example did you consider that the type of birth control you were considering might be contraindicated or more risky because of weight? You might be at higher risk of elevated blood pressure, blood clots, heart disease and those might be contraindications to birth control pills or put you at higher risk of side effects.

Arnold is right that it is frustrating to see patients all day long that want an easy solution. This is not just for weight but for smokers and others as well. Smokers complain of shortness of breath, they may be on oxygen and are still smoking. Overweight persons have back pain, joint pain etc. and want a pill to fix it. I'm aware there are emotional issues behind eating and weight disorders but your doctor is opening the door by asking how you feel about it, not trying to shame you. LIkewise I hope you don't feel I'm not being supportive either, just trying to have you look at it from the other side. After all you and the doc are on the same team! On MFP we are also on your team!! He/she has resources that can help you and so does MFP, why not take advantage of them? Why does this upset you? I would try and have this conversation with patients and time after time one just doesn't see the patient taking action to help themselves. Some do but please don't blame the doc!!